Non-League: Lockwood urges Lions to keep feet on ground

Leon Wobschall

ADAM LOCKWOOD is anxious to avoid the perils of an ‘After the Lord Mayor’s Show’ type performance as Guiseley seek to double up in a crunch home game with fellow strugglers Southport tomorrow.

After a wretched start to the National League season, celebration was at hand at the 14th time of asking for the Lions, who made light of their toils with a remarkable 6-1 home slaying of York City on Tuesday night.

It was an occasion that all those of a Guiseley persuasion will remember for some time, with a lengthy floodlight failure thankfully not stopping Lockwood’s side from getting over the line as the Lions recorded their first league victory since April 30 in stunning fashion

It has provided a major shot in the arm for the basement club, but equally Lockwood is the first to acknowledge that a super Tuesday will count for little if his side do not hit the wins trail with much more regularity over the coming weeks and months as they seek to turn a horror seasonal start around.

In the final analysis, a victory next up over the side just above them in ’Port tomorrow would arguably supersede those midweek events in terms of importance too, hence Lockwood’s determination to keep focused. Lockwood, whose side can draw level on points with ’Port with victory – said: “The difficult thing is always backing up.

“At any level, whether it is Premier League, international or lower down the pyramids, if you are not consistent, then you will not achieve much over a season and that is where I want us to get to.

“To be honest, since I have taken over, we have been quite consistent without getting the results and that is the aim now.

“We are nowhere near to where I want them to be, but I have faith in them. At any level, you don’t have easy games and if you are not right as a team, you don’t stand a chance of getting stuff out of the game.

“We have to do the right things again and perform the best as we can and then we will give ourselves a chance.”

While Lockwood is pressing home the need to maintain standards tomorrow, he admits that a six-goal haul has served as a big psychological boost.

Five players in debutants Jake Cassidy and Jermaine Hylton, Alex Purver, Jordan Preston and Rob Atkinson all found the net on a night when the hosts went goal crazy – in their previous 13 league matches, they had mustered just four goals.

Lockwood added: “It is not so much me who takes confidence, but the lads. Because I have the utmost confidence in them and I have said that all along.

“I have asked for certain things from them and at times, I have not had it. But generally, I have said that I have confidence in those lads in the dressing room and they just have to believe what they are about.

“On Tuesday, they did believe and it proves what can happen when you do believe in yourself and make stuff happen and, hopefully, they will take confidence and do it consistently.”